Scraping implement



E. W. DEF RIES SCRAPING IMPLEMENT Filed March 4, 1959 April 25, 1961 Lyra venfi v A block tightly'holds'the coil thereof individually secured at radially aligned portions. As shown particularly inFigure 3,the block 5 is generally "Spaced .parallelfgroovej with their 1 2,980,937 Patented Apr. 25, 19 1 United Stats Pat 3 Claims. (Cl.15236) "This invention relates generally to a scraping and cleaning: device and more particularly to such a device which is capable of scraping and cleaning contoured and ir- I regular surfaces. l d I Those irregular or contouredzsurfaces which do not clean easily provide a difiicult cleaning problem. Devices which are sufficiently rugged to accomplish the job are generally too rigid to be accessible to all of the object being scraped.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved scraper and cleaner which is capable of scraping and cleaning contoured and irregular surfaces. g

A further object is to provide such a device which does not become clogged or imbedded with the material being worked with.

A still further object is to provide such adevice which is rugged and durable, as well as economical.

Further objectives will be evident from the following specification.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a scraper formed in accord ance with the present invention; viewof the scraper illustrated in Figure 2 is a side Figure 1;

parallel to the short sides and '10 parallel grooves 6 in the block extend Figure 3 is a perspective view of the wedge shaped securing block used in thescraper illustrated in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the coiled blade used in the scraper illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 assembled into the Wedge-shaped securing block; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the inner end of the scraper handle. i

The scraping and cleaning device of the present invention comprises multiple flexible scraping loops held in a securing block and a handle which removably holds the securing block. The securing block holds the loops so as to maintain adjacent loops spaced from one another. One'embodiment of the invention is, shown in Figures 1 through 5. It comprises a handle 2, "and a scraping porand used thusly,

tion or coil 3 consisting of a flexible blade 4 wound in the v shape of a spiral. A wedge-shaped securing block 5, with grooves 6 cut into it for tightly holding the coil 3 and also for maintaining space between the adjacent loops 7 thereof, fits firmly but removably into a mating recess 8 in the inner end 22 of the handle 2. The block 5 is held in the handle 2 by a suitable fastener 9.

More specifically, Figures 1 and 2 show a bladed which is wound into a coil 3. The blade 4- isa fiat,

: elongated strip of metal, plastic or other suitablet-ough flexible materialsuch as maybe coiled into a spiral of aconvenient number of loops. Theblade 4 may be serf rated along either or both edges.

rectangular in shape-3 ith its; two short sides 10 and 1,0:

slightly tapered. toward-1: the". top 1 Ill to form-a1 wedge,

I; with each loop 1 2 I mately equal to the thickness 13 of the blade 4 extend across the top of the block 5 and downwardly into it a depth 14 approximately equal to the width 15 of the said blade 4. Perpendicular to the parallel grooves 6 of generally the same width and depth and running through the center of the block Sis a cross groove 16. As shown in Figure 1, the idividual loops 7 of the coil 3 are spaced from one an other and sequentially press fitted into the spaced parallel [grooves 6. The ends 18 and 1 8 right angles so as to fit into the cross groove 16 thereby assisting in holding the coil in the grooves 6 of the block.

The assembly of the block and coil are removably held by a handle 2. As shown particularly in Figure 5, the handle 2 has a wedged-shaped mating recess 8 formed by tapered sides 20 and 20' at its inner 'end 22 which snugly but removably receives the wedge-shaped block 5. The original longitudinal dimension of the top of the block, increased by expansion thereof when the coil loops 7 were press fitted into the grooves 6, is restored by the wedging action when the block is removably secured into the mating recess in the handle. A firmer gripping of the loops 7 within their respective grooves 6 preventing sliding therein is thus achieved.

When the block is assembled into the handle the at right angles to the axis of the handle. The recess 8 in the handle extends upwardly into it from its underside, and has a depth such that when the block is inserted, the under surface of the block and the under surface of the handle approximately coincide. Also, the width 24 of the block and of the inner end 22 of the handle are the same so that when the device is assembled the side surfaces 26 and 26 of the block and 28 and 28 of the handle end form generally flush surfaces.

The block is held in the recess 8 by a thumb screw 9 which passes downwardly through a clearance hole 30 in "top of the handle end 22 and threads into a tapped hole 32 in the top of the bloc When the block and the handle are assembled the clearance hole 30 and the tapped hole 32 are axially aligned to receive the screw 9. The handle is suitably formed to facilitate firm and comfortable gripping.

In operation the scraper is gripped by the handle, tilted downward slightly, and while the portions of the scraping loops farthest firom the user are held firmly down upon the object 17 to be scraped, it is pulled over the object. The operationis then repeated as many times as necessary. I

Obviously, if there. is occasion to use the opposite edge of the blade, the whole device may be flipped over or it may be disassembled, the blade turned in the block, .and the device reassembled. V

The tilting is desirable in order to allow the shoulder formed by the assembled block and handle to clear the object being scraped. Even if the device is dragged along the surface of that object, the region where the blade: is held by the block never comes into contact with that surface. Because of that feature and the close fit blade. I d r It is obvious that numerous variations from the de-, I 7

terial upon the device is minimized.

tact .withthe object being scrapedl i ,The fact that the device may beeasilyandquickly and l simply disassembled provides many advantages. Among others, it, 'rnak es cleaningeasy and facilitates changing or replacing-the blade.

of the coil are bent at between the various parts, accumulation of removed mamay come into con- It alsoI allowspreversal. of the picted embodiment are possible without departing from the invention claimed.

prising a tough flexible blade coiled into a spiral and having its ends bent at approximately right angles, a wedge-shaped securing block with multiple grooves into which the loops of said blade are press fitted, said grooves consisting of multiple parallel grooves for supporting said loops and maintaining them in spaced relation and a groove extending. transversely to said parallel grooves for accommodating the bent ends of said blade, a handle suitable for gripping which has amating wedge-shaped recess at its inner end which receives the wedge-shaped securing block in snug but readily removable wedged engagement, and readily removable means for locking said block in said recess, said loops being held so that the portions thereof held in the said block are maintained in fixed relation to the said handle.

2. A coil-type scraping and cleaning implement suitable for engaging contoured and irregular surfaces com- They also include providing individual con-' prising multiple loops of flexible blade material, a wedgeshaped securing block with multiple grooves into which said loops fit, said block maintaining said loops in spaced relation, a handle suitable for gripping which has a mating wedge-shaped recess at its inner end which receives the wedge-shaped securing block in fixed but readily removable wedged engagement, and readily removable means for locking said block in said recess, said loops being held so that the portions thereof held in the said block are maintained in fixed relation to the said handle.

3. A coil-type scraping and cleaning implement suitable for engaging contoured and irregular surfaces comprising a flexible blade coiled into a spiral, a wedge-shaped securing block with multiple grooves into which the loops of said blade fit, said block maintaining said loops in spaced relation, a handle suitable for gripping which has a mating wedge-shapedrecess at its inner end which 3 receives the wedge-shaped securing blockin 'fixed but readily removable wedged engagement, and readily removable means for "locking said block in said recess, said loops being held so that theportions thereof held in the said block are maintained in fixed relation to the said handle.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

